After featuring in the Tapsee Pannu-starrer Thappad and the web series Thoda Adjust Please and Adulting, Rohan Khurana is happy with his crazy ‘dulha’ act in Avnish S. Barjatya’s directorial debut Dono, starring Rajveer Deol and Paloma. We caught up with Rohan about his role and his experience of being on a Rajshri Productions set.
What was your reaction when you were cast for a Rajshri Productions film?
Rohan Khurana: I felt ecstatic, surreal and over the moon. My family and I were very happy. In fact, my mother and I were watching Uunchai when I got the call. My mother sent a message to Sooraj (Barjatya) sir through Avnish (Barjatya). It felt extremely great because I have grown up watching their films and finally, I was cast in one of their films.
You play the groom in the film...
Rohan Khurana: Nikhil Kothari is a crazy ‘dulha’. He is getting married to Alina (Kanikka Kapur) in big Marwari style. Nikhil is full of life and a happy person. He wants to have loads of fun at his own wedding. He wants a Bollywood-type wedding because his wife-to-be always wanted one.
How different is Dono from other films in the romcom genre?
Rohan Khurana: Dono is a romcom of course, but it’s about a desi destination wedding happening in Bangkok. There’s dancing, drama, partying and drinking, which is a first for a Rajshri film. It has been shown very aesthetically. Dono talks about closure, which is a problem of the younger generation.
The film deals with relationships very sensitively. Here are two introverted people who come to a destination wedding and somehow find each other because they find comfort in the fact that both of them are introverts.
The Dono soundtrack has eight songs. Which one is your favourite and why?
Rohan Khurana: My favourite is the dance number Agg Lagdi which happens in the Sangeet ceremony in the film. It’s a fun, energetic song. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music is great. I also like Mann Mauji because I have danced to that number. It has a great hookup. I hope these two songs play at every wedding and people dance to them.
Did you get a chance to interact with Sooraj Barjatya?
Rohan Khurana: Sooraj-ji was always on set. His presence was felt even though he was not directing the film. He was there for us whenever any of us had any queries. He would tell us stories of his sets.
He told us a story from the sets of Uunchai where he was directing a scene that needed Amitabh Bachchan to be on a terrace. Amitabh-ji was finding it difficult to walk up to the terrace. I think they picked him up with the help of JCB and landed him on the terrace. It was kind of a funny story.
Sooraj sir was only 22 years old when he directed Maine Pyaar Kiya. He told us many stories about Salman Khan. It was an amazing experience shooting with him.
Which is your favourite Rajshri Productions film?
Rohan Khurana: Hum Saath Saath Hain because I used to love that song ABCD… I liked the part played by Mohnish Behl in that film. It’s a cult classic.
And your favourite romcoms or love stories?
Rohan Khurana: I love The Notebook (2004). In Hindi, take any Shah Rukh Khan film. Veer-Zaara is my favourite. I really enjoy watching romcoms. And of course, now it’s Dono.
